Tab for guide cards



y 5, 1947- c. w. STRAUBEL ETAL 2,420,021

TAB FOR GUIDE CARDS Filed Sept. 50, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l CJ KSiraLJbQL JS/folbooi May 6, 1947- w. STRAUBEL .ETAL

TAB FOR GUIDE CARDS Filed Sept. .30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C'J l IStr'azJbel Patented May 6, 1947 ICE TAB FOR GUIDE; CARDS Clarence W; Straub'el and John S. Holbrook, Youngstown, Ohio, assignors to The General Fireproofing Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a

corporation of Ghio Application September 30, 1-944, SerialNo, 556,597

10 Claims.

invention relates to tabs for index or guide cards such as are used in. filing cabinets.

A general object is tov provide a simple, inexpensive tab which may readily be applied. to an index or guide card. at the correct an le to insure easy inspection, which is strong and durable and affords a. convenient and comfortable finger grip element for inserting, withdrawing, tilting and otherwise manipulating the card; which. is provided with a slot to accommodate an indicia-bearing slip or label, and which includes a transparent or substantially transparent magnitying element overlying the slip or label and serving to magnify the indicia thereon to facilitate readingof the same- 1 More particularly, an object of. the invention is to provide a tab which is composed. in part of sheet metal or equivalent sheet material and in part of a transparent plastic or equivalent material combined in a novel manner to adapt the tab for facile and economical manufacture, to be readily and securely applied to an index card and to afiord a recess or slot to receive an indicia-bearing slip or label and to hold the same in a position such that the indicia thereon is magnified and is readily visible from different points in front of and above the tab.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in a tab embodying the novel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanydrawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the difierent views- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an index card and of a tab constructed in accordance with the invention and mounted on said card.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the tab and the index card; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the tab partly broken away to show one manner of fastening the magnifying element in the holder for the same.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Figure 4. a

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 5, showing the lens element partially engaged with the holder.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken on the line Il' of Figure 5, and showing the lens element fully engaged with the holder.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of they general construction shown in. Figures 5', 6, 7, and 8, but illustrating a modified form of rib or key on the lens element for engaging with the edges of the Window of the holder.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1-3, A designates a portion of an; index or guide card and B designates, generally, an indicia-bearing and card-manipulating tab constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention and operatively mount.- ed upon said card and projecting above the upper edge thereof at an angle thereto, so that it may readily be grasped for manipulating the card and so that the indicia thereon is exposed to View.

The tab B comprises a transparent or substantially transparent magnifying lens element designated generally as I!) and a holder them for designated generally as H.

The lens element [0 may be formed from any suiable transparent or substantially transparent material such as a plastic, glass or the like and may be of any suitable length, and cross sectional size and shape In the present instance it is shown as being elongated and as having asubstantially fiat rear face and a front face which is convexly curved transversely whereby it serves to magnify indicia or the like disposed behind the same when viewed through the same from the front thereof.

The holder I l is formed from sheet metal or other suitable sheet material of requisite stiffness, resiliency, and strength and is produced in one piece by bending a blank of proper shape upon itself to provide an open-ended top socket portion I 2 to accommodate the lens element to, and front and rear attaching ears [3' and M, respectively, depending from said socket portion.

The lens element [0 may, in the form shown in Figures 1-3, be slid endwise into the socket portion l2 after the holder H is formed or the said socket portion l2 may be formed about said lens element during manufacture of the tabq In any event, the socket portion l2.is approximately equal'in width to the length of the lens element In so as to extend approximately from end to end of the latter. Moreovensaid socket portion is of approximately the same cross sectional size and shape as said lens element so as snugly to accommodate and embrace the latter. 7

The ears l3 and 4' are disposed substantially parallel to each other and are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to or slightly greater than the' thickness of an index or divider card to which the tab is to be applied. Accordingly, the tab B may readily be applied to the top marginal portion of a card, such as the card A, simply by inserting the said top mar ginal portion of the card between the ears l3 and I4 by then suitably fastening the said ears to the card or to each other as by riveting as indicated at l5. In this connection, if the ears I3 and. I 4 are riveted or equivalently fastened together, the riveting or equivalent fastening opelement. As will be apparent from Figure 6, the

eration may be employed to draw said ears together and thus cause the socket portion I2 to grip the lens element It and retain the same therein.

Formed either in the rear of the lens element In or in the rear Wall of the socket portion I2 is a channel I8 of any suitable width and of slight depth to afiord, between the rear of said lens element and the said rear wall of said socket portion I2, a narrow-depth slot H of suitable width to accommodate an indicia-bearing slip or label I8. The slot I'I extends preferably from end to end of the lens element I and the socket portion I2 and preferably is open at both ends to facilitate insertion and removal of a slip or label I8 into and from the same.

The slip or label I8 is, of course, provided with desired indicia on its front face and these indicia are readily visible, magnified by the len element I0, through a window I9 which is provided in the front wall of the socket portion I2. In this connection it will be observed that the socket portion I2 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the ears I3 and I4 and, therefore, with respect to the card A to render the indicia on the slip or label I8 most clearly readable from the normal point of view in front of and above the While it is not essential, in this form of the invention, to positively lock the len element It) in the socket portion I2, means for this purpose may be desirable and may comprise a small recess in said lens element to accommodate a small part 20 of the socket portion I2 which may either be indented into said recess after the lens element is inserted into said socket portion I2 or which may be formed to snap into said recess when said lens is slid into said socket portion.

Referring to Figures 4 to 9 inclusive, illustrating described, it will be observed that the card A carries the tab B. This tab essentially includes a holder IIa doubled upon itself to provide a socket I2a and including the ears I3a and Ida for attachment to the card A. The front wall III) of the holder is provided with the window I9a for receiving the lens element Illa which has the same characteristics previously pointed out inconnection with the lens element I0, so far as material and magnifying qualities are concerned. However, said lens element Ilia differs structurally from the lens element I0, in the respect that it is provided with means cooperating with'the edges of the window I90. to enable it to be interlocked with the holder by rocking and snapping the same into place in the window of the socket of the holder instead of sliding it into said socket.

' As will be observed, especially from Figures and 6, the lens element Illa is provided at one of its long sides or edges with a holding rib I80 and at its opposite edge with an elongated key Mb. The rib Inc and the key IIlb extend beyond the normally parallel sides of the lens element I0a which are exposed to view when the lens element is fitted into the window of the holder. In the example shown, the rib I60 and the key Iflb preferably are of greatest widthat the medial portion of the lens element and taper in opposite directions toward the ends of said lens a modification of the invention heretofore ment IIIa is in the position preferable method of manipulating the lens element Ilia to fit it into the window opening Illa, is to place the rib IIlc in the lower portion of the socket I2a with the key I0}: poised adjacent the edge of the window oppo ite that behind which the rib Inc is engaged. When the lens eleshown in Figure 6, it may be pressed by thumb or finger pressure toward the socket of the holder, thereby to cause the key Ilia to snap behind the upper edge of the window I9a and thus bring the parts to the position shown in Figure '7 to lock or secure the lens element in the holder. When the lens element is in the position shown in Figure '7, it will, of course, be understood that a label I8a may be slidably inserted between the channel at the back of the lens and the rear wall of the socket Ila, behind the lens element IIIa to bring the label in the proper viewing position.

Preferably, though not necessarily, the short ends of the window I9a may also be provided with the inwardly projecting lugs I!!!) which are intended to bear in related notches llld in the rear face of the lens element IIla. These lugs are preferably bent slightl outwardly of the plane of the front wall III) of the holder so as to enter the notches "id and assist in centering the lens element relative to the window during the positioning of said lens element with respect to the window, and, after the lens element has been snapped into place, the said lugs I9b will place the lens element IIla under slight outward pressure to thus press the rib Illc and the key IUb against the inner edges of the window and prevent looseness or play.

Figure 9 of the drawing shows all of the essential characteristics described in connection with Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, but illustrates a modified form of rib and key. In this form, the rib 20 and the key 2 I, while projecting from the opposite edges of the lens element Illa, in the manner heretofore described for similar parts, are substantially in the form of arcuate members, as shown. In other words, they are not of the same length as the rib I00 and the key IOb of Figures 4 to 8. In purpose and function, however, they attain the same object and result.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates an angular guide tab for index cards including a holder and a magnifying lens element which may be assembled either by sliding the lens element into the holder Or by, snapping the same into the window thereof, with the result, in both cases, of providing a simple and practical union between the lens element and the holder which is durable and efiicient in use.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a guide tab for index cards or the like of the type including a body of sheet material doubled upon itself to provide a rear wall and a front wall having an opening providing an elongated rectangular window frame overlying the inner face of the rear wall, means for fastening the lower portions of said walls to the card, an elongated rectangular transversely convex lens element, and cooperating means on the lens element and frame for detachably interlocking the lens and frame, said lens having a channel for supporting a label between said lens and the rear wall of the holder whereby the label is supported in a position to be viewed through the window frame and said lens element.

2. A tab comprising an elongated magnifying lens element having a substantially flat rear face and a front face which is convexly curved transversely, a holder for said lens element of sheet material including a socket portion substantially equal in length to and of substantially the same cross sectional size and shape as said lens element, said lens element being disposed in said socket portion, means depending from said socket portion for fastening the tab upon an object, said socket portion including a rear wall and a front wall having a window therein, and the rear face of said lens element having a channel therein providing a slot between said rear wall of the socket and said lens element, said slot adapted to accommodate a label to be viewed through said window and lens element.

3. A tab for guide cards comprising an elongated magnifying lens element having a substantially flat rear face and a front face which is convexly curved transversely, a holder for said lens element comprising a single piece of sheet material bent upon itself to provide a socket portion and a pair of depending ears, said socket portion being of substantiall the same length and the same cross sectional size and shape as said lens element and the latter being disposed therein, means for fastening said ears respectively against the front and the back of an index or divider (III snap-action interlocking engagement with the portions of said front wall at opposite edges of said window opening by the act of inserting said lens element into said window opening to retain said lens element in assembly with said holder.

7 A tab comprising a holder for a card, said holder including a front wall having a window opening through which the card is visible, a lens element to be inserted into said window, and tongues at opposite sides of said lens element to engaged behind said front wall at opposite sides of said window opening, respectively, to retain said lens element in assembly with said holder.

8. A tab comprising a holder for a card, said holder including a front wall having therein a window opening through which the card is visible, lens element to be inserted into said window in cverlying relationship to said card, formations at opposite edges of said lens element for snapaction interlocking engagement with the portions or" said front wall at opposite edges of said window opening by the act of inserting said lens element into said window opening to retain said lens element in assembly with said holder, and spring tongues projecting from said front wall into said card to mount the tab thereon, said socket ineluding a rear wall and a front wall having a window therein, and said lens element having in the rear thereof a channel providing between the rear of the lens element and the rear wall of said socket portion a slot to accommodate a label to be viewed through said window and said lens element.

4. A guide tab for index cards or the like, comprising, a holder of resilient material, doubled upon itself to provid front and rear walls, said front wall provided with a window and having a yielding tongue projecting into said window, a lens element adapted to fit in said window and having a notch in its inner face to receive said tongue, the body of said lens element being approximately the size of the window and having rib and key portions projecting beyond opposite edges thereof one for insertion behind said front wall at one edge of the window and the other to be forced behind said front wall at the opposite edge of said window to lock the lens in the holder.

5. A tab comprising a holder for a card, a lens element to be mounted upon said holder in overlying relationship to a card held thereby, and cooperating means carried by said lens element and said holder for snap action interengagement by the act of assembling said lens element with said holder to detachably mount said lens element upon said holder.

6. A tab comprising a holder for a card, said holder including a front wall having therein a window opening through which the card is visible, a lens element to be inserted into said window in overlying relationship to said card, and formations at opposite edges of said lens element for window opening to be engaged and depressed by said lens and to exert force upon said lens to hold the same against any looseness relative to said holder.

9. A tab for index or divider cards comprising a holder for an indicia-bearing card, said holder being formed from resilient material and having therein a window, a lens element to lit in said window in overlying relationship to an indiciabearing card held by the holder, and means on opposite edges of said lens element and on said holder at opposite edges of said window for snapaction interlocking engagement by the act of inserting said lens element in said window to secure said lens element in said window.

10. A tab for index or divider cards comprising a holder for an indicia-bearing card, said holder being formed from resilient material and including a front wall having therein a window, a lens element to fit in said window in overlying relationship to an indicia-bearing card held by said holder, means at one edge of said lens element for insertion behind said front wall at one edge of said window, and means at the opposite edge of said lens element to be snapped behind said front wall at the opposite edge of said window.

CLARENCE W. STRAUBEL. JOHN S. HOLBROOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

